George Romney
Dalton-in-Furness 1734-1802 Kendal

Death of a Young Woman

Pencil on paper
405 x 610 mm; 16 x 24 inches

Romney, the famous portrait painter of eighteenth century British Society, relied on his brilliant and original drawings for his creative satisfaction. The subjects are sometimes understood by us, and sometimes not. They often depict macabre and obscure scenes, with a cast that includes witches, storms, death and destruction. It is clear that he relied partly on the Shakespearian world for his source material, but also on far more obscure myths, legends and writings. Like many another artist of that period his drawing syle was much influenced by that of the neo-classical artist Henry Fuseli (1741-1825), whom he met in Rome during the 1770s.